State of Origin

[Izz]

Papalii was garbage (fast becoming a late hit merchant), Gillett not much better. Commentators kept talking Teo up, but i thought he was pretty poor too.

DCE forgot how to pass! If he's fit, they have to persist with him for Origin II, though.

Thought Blues halves were ordinary. Essentially Farrah and Hayne were organizing everything, i thought.

Meninga made a dumb call going for a small pack.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Assuming Lillyman doesn't get injured, surely he will get a call up.

 

[jamaman]

Probably a coal train call up!

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I know this is usually NSW's domain...but changes need to be made in the pack. Myles was immense, Scott wasn't great but needs to remain. Otherwise, no one is safe.

Guerra isn't an Origin player, but Thaiday comes back in for him anyway.

Gillett was awful, as was Papalii. The latter can go for a prop who is willing to get into the tough stuff, not put cheap shots on and generally wheeze around with a lack of work rate. If that's Jake, great. Gillett might have a few more runs on the board.

DCE tried too hard, unfortunately. He'll be better next time around.

Anyone noticed that Slater has either lost not one yard of pace but two? Is he not fit? He made breaks and was dragged down straight away every time.

Having said all that...Jarryd Hayne is a freak.

 

[jamaman]

I know this is usually NSW's domain...but changes need to be made in the pack. Myles was immense, Scott wasn't great but needs to remain. Otherwise, no one is safe.

Guerra isn't an Origin player, but Thaiday comes back in for him anyway.

Gillett was awful, as was Papalii. The latter can go for a prop who is willing to get into the tough stuff, not put cheap shots on and generally wheeze around with a lack of work rate. If that's Jake, great. Gillett might have a few more runs on the board.

DCE tried too hard, unfortunately. He'll be better next time around.

Anyone noticed that Slater has either lost not one yard of pace but two? Is he not fit? He made breaks and was dragged down straight away every time.

Having said all that...Jarryd Hayne is a freak.

Biggest loss for QSLD was Cronk. can see Maloney and Bird back! for NSW
and Taylor, Thaiday for QSLD

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Maloney because Reynolds will be suspended? That was an awful, awful tackle. I reckon he'll get 2 weeks though. McLean got 7, with extra loading for not being an Origin player and obviously the injury.

Dave Taylor, no thanks. Someone with a bit of ticker.

 

[jaseg]

Maloney should not be playing Origin. I like the guy, was great for us... but he just doesn't have the defensive game for it, and the rest of his game doesn't quite make up for that issue. Would much rather see Sutton if Reynolds is suspended.

QLD completely messed up their selection. They deserved to lose by not picking Lillyman, and of course they had trouble through the middle - surely both he and Taylor will be picked for game 2, likely over Papalii and either Teo or McQueen. Fifita's likely to be ready for game 2, which gives QLD an even bigger headache through the centre.

I'd consider Chambers a chance, but I can't see where he fits in... centres/wingers are safe, and NSW only managed to get at Slater once with the high ball pressure (incidentally; why can't anyone take a lesson? put Slater under pressure at the high ball and he'll drop it quite often - Hayne put him completely off it by jumping high and early - and ruling himself out of actually catching it - and Slater had a huge airswing. These are professionals, they can't analyse that clear weakness?).

Who gets the QLD bench utility spot I wonder? Do they carry 4 forwards and use Gillett as a utility, or bring in someone like Michael Morgan, Ben Hunt or Anthony Milford? Probably a bit early for them... but the alternative would be a forward or an outside back. Injuries will be interesting - both Morris bros, Gallen, Cronk, Smith, Slater... any more potential injuries I've missed?

 

[Izz]

Jarrod Mullen?

 

[WellsNZ]

If Reynolds can't be there then Mullen please. Sucks for Hodkinson if he loses Reynolds, he's either going to be facing the possible chop for Pearce (surely not after the win) or a new partner, maybe even Bird?

Doggies halves weren't amazing, but I thought they did a really good job in a game that wasn't very halves oriented.

Reynolds especially, he didn't stand out in the way you expect a guy in the 6 jersey to, but the way he was just tearing in to absolutely everything was a big instigator for NSW I think. He played a real "origin game". Hodkinson missed a couple of kicks that he'd typically make, so did JT, but he went about his business quietly and didn't f**k up which was what was required of him really, especially with how much Hayne was involved.

Hayne was excellent, if he isn't playing fullback for NSW in that game, they don't win the game simple as that I think.

Scott I wasn't thrilled being named but he played really well. It's easy to say Inglis went missing, but was pretty hard for him to get anything going when pretty much every time he got the ball he was flat footed and swamped by multiple blues jerseys.

 

[JJ]

I didn't think the tackle was that bad tbh, Scott was probably worse, it was entirely accidental imo

Mullen or Bird to 5/8 imo... Reynolds was good, Hodkinson adequate - but a step up from Maloney/Pearce who are f**king ordinary imo

Hayne is, I think, quite simply the best and most dangerous player in the game, when at his best...

NSW have a better pack, they dominated there, and their halves were as good as the vaunted Qld ones... Thurstone won't be that bad again.

Queensland will match them in the forwards next time, regardless of who they pick, and it will be close again... Cronk is a huge loss, not because he's better than DCE, but just because Smith, he, JT and Slater are so slick as a unit....

 

[vvvrulz]

Reynolds was good, Hodkinson adequate - but a step up from Maloney/Pearce who are f**king ordinary imo

This.

The dogs halves didn't set the world on fire but they were solid enough and did the job.
NSW hasn't had good halves in years and hence the losing streak.

 

[jamaman]

This.

The dogs halves didn't set the world on fire but they were solid enough and did the job.
NSW hasn't had good halves in years and hence the losing streak.

they havn't had a good team hence loss x8 :crazy:

 

[JJ]

Don't agree with that at all, Qld have had some very special players in key positions. NSW have really struggled in the halves, and picked people too early (Mullen) and not given them a fair crack (Mullen, Wallace, Carney) and persevered with one who is to most peoples eyes just not terribly good (Pearce)...

Reynolds looks their #6 for a bit now, I'd still like to see Mullen there at some stage, he's a terrific player, and Hodgkinson is a tough merkin, he's had some terrible luck over the years.

They've also seldom picked or had their best player (Hayne) at fullback, criminal really apart from when Stewart was at his peak.
All through that period they've often had the edge in the pack, and Gould (as he often is) was right last night, they finally decided to play some football - the likes of Jennings, Hayne, Morris x2, and when he's there Hopoate are serious weapons in their own right


No idea who will win the series, but even though Qld have won 8 in a row, it hasn't been thrashings, and but for Pearce's inability to use an overlap/complete lack of vision NSW might have won a series or two

 

[jamaman]

Don't agree with that at all, Qld have had some very special players in key positions. NSW have really struggled in the halves, and picked people too early (Mullen) and not given them a fair crack (Mullen, Wallace, Carney) and persevered with one who is to most peoples eyes just not terribly good (Pearce)...

Reynolds looks their #6 for a bit now, I'd still like to see Mullen there at some stage, he's a terrific player, and Hodgkinson is a tough merkin, he's had some terrible luck over the years.

They've also seldom picked or had their best player (Hayne) at fullback, criminal really apart from when Stewart was at his peak.
All through that period they've often had the edge in the pack, and Gould (as he often is) was right last night, they finally decided to play some football - the likes of Jennings, Hayne, Morris x2, and when he's there Hopoate are serious weapons in their own right


No idea who will win the series, but even though Qld have won 8 in a row, it hasn't been thrashings, and but for Pearce's inability to use an overlap/complete lack of vision NSW might have won a series or two

Qsld have dominated a pop gun NSW forwad pack for a decade

 

[Iafeta]

Lol no Lillyman. Good move Merkins Meninga. Papalii was epic bro.

 

[JJ]

Qsld have dominated a pop gun NSW forwad pack for a decade

ok, whatever

Think they've won 8 in a row, NSW won 3-4 in a row before that and there was a worry origin was dead... it was ok, Qld stole Inglis to ensure they'd have something

 

[Penrose Warrior]

It's laughable how the normal rules do not apply to Origin players.

McKinnon breaks his neck, NRL says they'll clamp down on it hard.

Nek minnit, Reynolds absolutely somersaults a bloke perilously close to his neck (which has a brace on it, just to remind us all how fragile this part of the body can be) and now misses a single game.

Absolutely deserved to miss Origin II.

 

[vvvrulz]

It's laughable how the normal rules do not apply to Origin players.

McKinnon breaks his neck, NRL says they'll clamp down on it hard.

Nek minnit, Reynolds absolutely somersaults a bloke perilously close to his neck (which has a brace on it, just to remind us all how fragile this part of the body can be) and now misses a single game.

Absolutely deserved to miss Origin II.

This.

In fact the Brent Tate cartwheel was even more dangerous than the McKinnon incident, only inches/seconds way from being *very* ugly

 

[jamaman]

ok, whatever

Think they've won 8 in a row, NSW won 3-4 in a row before that and there was a worry origin was dead... it was ok, Qld stole Inglis to ensure they'd have something

:lol: NSW stole Tamou

 

[WellsNZ]

They punished McClean for the injury that resulted, whether people think they should or should not do that is a valid debate, but it's what they did. If Tate broke his neck, Reynolds is taking a holiday, but he didn't so he isn't.

If McKinnon had gotten up and been OK (and I'm sure we all wish that had been the case) McClean wouldn't have been spending long, if at all, on the sideline.

Their argument about Scott contributing to the tackle also seems fair to me, and then you factor in the early guilty plea.

I'm biased in two aspects when it comes to the decision though.